The February 9th Two Harbors City Council meeting was slightly delayed due to technical difficulties, but once it began, it was off to a rousing start, highlighted by the appearance of several members of Breakwall Indivisible, the local Two Harbors branch of the grassroots American political movement Indivisible. They used their three minutes before the council to ask for a public statement from the city on their stance regarding current events, especially the “right to free speech, peacefully assemble, petition the government to redress grievances,” and be treated with “basic human dignity and respect regardless of citizenship status”. They also would like the council to address how, “as officials who have sworn an oath to uphold and serve the people of Two Harbors,” they plan to “uphold the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the rule of law for all people in your jurisdiction” in the face of possible aggressive opposition.
These questions come at a fraught time, not only on the national stage, but especially within Minnesota, as Minneapolis is currently the largest site of activity for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents. Clashes with the locals rose to a fever pitch with the widely protested deaths of two citizens at the hands of ICE last month, and many have described the city as being “under siege” and unsafe for all residents. Given the close proximity of Duluth and the North Shore to Minneapolis, many have ongoing concerns that agents will make their way north and cause a similar situation in our area as well. Evidence shows that the presence of ICE in its current state greatly stresses many of the locals of the areas where they amass, with many residents of Minneapolis – citizen and non-citizen alike – staying indoors to avoid possible aggressive confrontations. Multiple judicial orders for the agents to take more precautions in their behavior towards residents and give more respect to rights granted by the United States Constitution have also seemingly gone unheeded and largely unenforced, hence Breakwall Indivisible’s push to acknowledge and enforce the rule of law. Breakwall Indivisible asked Two Harbors’ council for a response in two weeks, stating their understanding that the council would likely want to consult with the councils of other towns along the North Shore to ensure as united a front as possible, whatever their chosen stance. At this point, the three minutes given were up, the council having maintained careful neutrality throughout. Unfortunately, recent history shows neutrality may no longer be possible if ICE does begin operating in the area in force. Breakwall Indivisible can be spotted peacefully protesting along the sidewalk near the Two Harbors cemetery at least once a week.
The remainder of the meeting was markedly more by the book. Administrative reports covered recent projects including the preliminary design plans for the Waterfront Plan, discussion of the North Shore Flats Development Project, potential TIF development in the former SERCO property area, the Ankrum Property on Lighthouse Point and the former John A. Johnson property; workshops were also attended regarding tax increment financing, economic development, municipal debt, the state of housing development, and review of several city development projects across Minnesota. Council President Hefter reported that Trees and Trails met on January 28th at the Tipsy Mosquito to discuss the Urban Forest Management Plan, which they are hoping to approve by April. They are also planning on removing trees infested by the emerald ash borer beetle, an invasive species causing widespread destruction of ash trees in North America. Culling the trees is considered necessary to slow the spread of the beetle and save remaining ash trees in the area. Mayor Conner reported on the status of the Arts & Beautification Commission request for a potential exhibit to mourn victims of ICE, which was rejected due to being considered too politically inflammatory at present for the Commission as a whole to give its formal approval. Other points of interest included painting the Band Shell, possibly including a mural on the doors to be on display during the winter; graffiti cleanup is also a priority. There is also interest in using the slogan “It all starts here” in more locations aside from its current spot on the Two Harbors water tower. Donna Heil reported that the Housing Committee, aside from considering possibilities for new housing in the area, is in discussion with the Historical Society regarding the current status of the 3M building, which is suffering from problems with its foundation. Cathy Erickson reminded everyone about the current opening for a maintenance worker. Those interested can apply at the Bayview Terrace Office.
New business items approved without incident included considering compensation for the Mayor and council members to attend meetings pertaining to their respective orders of business; authorizing a letter of support for the Silver Creek Wastewater Project, pending approval of the Utilities Committee; accepting the lowest bid of $55,780 for the purchase of a wood chipper for the electrical department; approving waiver of the $7,500 deposit requirement for the preliminary plat application in the Two Harbors 12th addition; approving Duval Companies’ professional cost estimate of under $6,001 for the Waterfront Project; and considering setting a $500 application fee for Variances, Conditional Use Permits (CUP), Interim Use Permits (IUP), and Preliminary Plat Applications. This new $500 fee is up from the $150 fee set in 2015, thus raising the fee to modern standards. Two last-minute additional items added to the agenda involved locating funding for local projects. Mayor Conner and Council President Hefter plan to attend the Great Lakes Day event in Washington, D.C. on March 5 to lobby for fundraising for Two Harbors’ waterfront shoreline. The council also authorized seeking fundraising assistance for the upcoming Highway 61 Project through Congressman Stauber’s community funding application.
